Madaari review: A vigilante tale that's relevant but not very engaging

Film: Madaari (U/A)
Rating: 3/5

Nirmal Kumar (Irrfan Khan), who has lost his seven-year-old son in a tragedy, abducts the son (Vishesh Bansal) of India’s home minister (Tushar Dalvi), and CBI officer Nachiket Varma (Jimmy Sheirgill) is put in charge of the case because he is considered the best man for the job. 

Director Nishikant Kamat's Madaari: Shh... Desh So Raha Hai is the story of a common man pushed to the edge by the system. This turns him into a vigilante who vows to bring corrupt politicians to their knees and hold them accountable for the tragedy that is caused because of their callousness and utter disregard for citizens. He thus becomes the Madaari (ringmaster), making those in power dance to his tunes.

The film looks into various thought-provoking aspects. When a common man’s son dies, the system doesn’t care and nobody is held accountable. But when a powerful politician’s son is abducted, it shakes up the entire system. Nirmal uses the news and social media to mould public opinion, which is reflective of the fickle world we live in. His aim is to conduct a kangaroo court and get quick justice in front of the entire nation, even though that's highly unlikely to happen in the real world.

We have seen several vigilante stories in recent times and this one is not the most engaging. But does this story go the way of Rang De Basanti (2006) or A Wednesday (2008)? That, really, is the interesting part of the film's climax. The last scene is well done, though it is a highly improbable scenario.

But there are several ways in which the film falters en route to delivering the right message and serving as a wake-up call for the common man. Story writer Shailja Kejriwal takes the relationship between the kidnapper and the young boy down the predictable path, with their smart repartee transforming into an emotional bond. Young actor Vishesh is adorable in parts as the spoilt rich brat, and not so impressive in others. 

The narration feels jerky as it shifts between the abduction drama, father-son flashback and TV news coverage and public response, and takes its own sweet time in doing so too.

The flashbacks of a father's relationship with his son, his loss and the grief thereafter are bound to bring tears to your eyes. These scenes break your heart. But eventually they exceed their screen time. 

Some scenes are shot beautifully by Kamat and masterfully acted out by Khan. The scene where Nirmal sits in the hospital with his dead son’s belongings, in shock and grief, is especially heart-wrenching. Though I’m not completely sold on the jerky hand-held camera treatment in this particular scene, it's powerful. In another scene, Nirmal is seen unable to deal with his loss over a period of time, and almost driven to insanity.

Through these flashbacks, Kamat builds the grief and motivations behind Nirmal's actions, giving depth to his character. The rest of the characters don't receive the same treatment, thus becoming one-dimensional.

Irrfan Khan rises to the occasion during the emotional sequences, and renders a touching performance. And his performance is one reason why you should watch the film.

In the beginning of the film, Nirmal says, “Baaz chuze pe jhapta, utha le gaya! Kahani sacchi lagti hai magar achhi nahin lagti. Baaz pe palatkar vaar hua. Kahani sachhi nahi lagti par khuda kasam acchi lagti hai!”

The story of Madaari is not the most realistic, but it feels good, as it tries to bring the common man's attention to how those in power are never held accountable for their callousness and misdeeds, fuelling the anti-establishment sentiment. But it doesn't entirely succeed due to its predictability – especially in its first and second act – and its leisurely pace. Where it succeeds is in exploring love and the loss of a child because of the callousness of the system. And in exploring the ever relevant subject of corruption and the power of social media.

This social drama has the right intention and message but lacks engaging execution. It is evident that a film does not succeed merely on a great idea or message, and an able actor to give it a fillip. Yet, give this film a shot if you want to watch Irrfan Khan's histrionics and see the baaz bow down to the chuza!

Director: Nishikant Kamat
Cast: Irrfan Khan, Jimmy Sheirgill, Tushar Dalvi, Vishesh Bansal
Producers: Irrfan Khan, Shailesh Singh, Madan Paliwal, Sutapa Sikdar, Shailja Kejriwal
Music: Vishal Bhardwaj
Runtime: 133 minutes